Europa, the fourth largest of Jupiter’s 95 moons, is the target of a NASA mission, scheduled for lift off Monday, to determine if it has an environment which could support life. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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00:00Europa, the fourth largest of Jupiter's 95 moons, is the target of a NASA mission to
00:11determine if it has an environment which could support life.
00:15The Europa Clipper mission will seek to confirm the existence of a saltwater ocean below a
00:20thick ice crust covering Europa.
00:22This ocean is believed to be heated by a phenomenon known as tidal flexing, where the moon is
00:27squeezed in and out by the gravitational forces exerted on it by Jupiter during its
00:32elliptical orbit.
00:34This heating system could cycle water and organic compounds from the moon's rocky interior,
00:40ice shell and ocean.
00:42It may also create hydrothermal vents in the rocky ocean floor, like the ones on Earth's
00:47seabed, which release hot water and chemical nutrients, supporting an array of lifeforms.
00:53The Europa Clipper spacecraft will make nearly 50 flybys of Europa, using specialised instruments
00:59including cameras, spectrometers and ice-penetrating radar to take detailed measurements of the
01:06moon's composition, geology, ice surface and liquid ocean.
01:10It is expected to take around five years to reach Europa after launch.
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